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Jan 4, 2021 9:23 PM -

Britain PM Boris Johnson orders new national lockdown

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82-year-old Brian Pinker receives the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from nurse Sam Foster at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford, England, Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. Pinker, a retired maintenance manager received the first injection of the new vaccine developed by between Oxford University and drug giant AstraZeneca. (Steve Parsons/Pool Photo via AP)

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson orders new national lockdown as Britain faces `critical moment' in coronavirus pandemic.

The decision came on the same day as UK became the first country in the world to start using the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and drugmaker AstraZeneca, with a dialysis patient named Brian Pinker the first to get the shot.

Pinker says he was very pleased to get the vaccine, adding that he can now look forward to celebrating his 48th wedding anniversary with his wife Shirley later this year.

Britain is in the midst of an acute outbreak, recording more than 50,000 new coronavirus infections a day over the past six days.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says tougher restrictions will be announced soon.

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